The Seattle Seahawks' joint practice and second preseason game with the Tennessee Titans was the dominant subject of Hard Knocks episode four. The practice with the Titans was especially telling and revealing. It provided the Super Bowl champion Seahawks with the wake-up call they needed this offseason.
The Titans are on the opposite side of the spectrum of Seattle. They're coming off consecutive 3-14 seasons and have a rebuilding roster. Yet the first half of joint practice belonged to Tennessee, and the Seahawks' leadership responded accordingly.
The Titans ran the ball successfully early. Head coach Mike Macdonald was seen on Hard Knocks getting visibly upset about the Titans' ground-game success. Later in practice, the Seahawks began shutting
down Tennessee's rushing attack.
The Seahawks eventually hit some big plays in practice, including a 60-yard touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and a Ty Okada pick-six. Once the preseason game arrived, the Seahawks' second-string offense dominated the Titans' starting defense. It doesn't matter that the Seahawks' third-and-fourth stringers ended up losing the game.
The Seahawks encountered some unexpected adversity during their weekend scrimmages with the Titans. Leadership and veterans responded accordingly, gaining the upper hand. The Seahawks were battle tested, and it should help them prepare for another long, grueling season.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks joint practice with Titans provided needed wake-up call
